This a series of short lessons on how to use the Listserv software to manage your ARCANA subscription. The topics covered include:
LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU
The message should read:
unsub ARCANA
Do not sign the message, you are addressing a machine and it won't understand.
In nearly all cases, this command will result in your removal, and you will automatically be sent a short message from the listserv and one from the listowners.
If you have more than one ARCANA address, both must be removed. If you cannot originate mail from one of the addresses, or if, for some reason the listserv does not cooperate with the procedure described above, then write the listowners at:
ARCANA-Request@brownvm.brown.edu
We recommend that you at least TRY the listserv command first, since it may take some time for the list owner on duty to get around to removing you.
LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU
The message should read:
Set ARCANA digest
Do not sign the message, you are addressing a machine and it won't understand.
To temporarily turn off your subscription, send a message to:
LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU
The message should read:
set ARCANA nomail
When you wish to resume receiving messages, write:
set ARCANA mail
The listowners have disabled the ability to retrieve a list of all addresses subscribed to ARCANA. This action was taken to prevent junk e-mailer ("spammers") from using ARCANA as a source of addresses. It also precludes the need to CONCEAL your address, since no one can REVIEW the list.
If you used REVIEW in the past to remember the address of an ARCANA subscriber, contact the listowners who will be happy to assist you.
If you are receiving mail from other sites, but not from ARCANA, there is a way to check on your subscription. This method is called a QUERY. To perform a query, send mail to:
LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU
The message should read:
query ARCANA
or
q ARCANA
Do not sign the message, you are addressing a machine and it won't understand.
You should receive a message from the listserv that looks something like this:
MAIL You are sent individual postings as they are received
SHORT822 (Obsolete, formerly "SHORTHDR") Short mail headers with
individual "To:" field
REPRO You receive a copy of your own postings
MSGACK Short "TELL" acknowledgement of successfully processed
postings
NORENEW You are never required to confirm your subscription to the
list
If you are still set to "mail", then just be patient or check with your computing facilities manager or sysop to see whether there are problems at your site. The mail should just resume when problems are solved. NB: I've known mail problems to last as long as a week. This is unfortunate, but we can't do anything for you under such circumstances.
If, however, the message shows that you are set to "nomail", it is likely that mail to your address "bounced" back to the listserv as undeliverable. To set yourself back to "mail", write to:
LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU
The message should read:
set ARCANA mail
This will restore your mail.
Occasionally, a mailing system will generate a message that your address is unknown or that your site has ceased to exist. Sometimes the listowner on duty will simply remove you from the list. If that happens, the listserv will respond to a query with a note that you are not subscribed to ARCANA.
Another way you can be removed from the list is through the automatic subscription renewal feature of listserv. About every six months, you should receive a message asking you to confirm your subscription. If you do not do so within a certain prescribed time limit, the software will remove you automatically.
To restart your subscription under either circumstance, write to:
ARCANA-Request@brownvm.brown.edu
and explain the situation to the listowner on duty. He or she will re-add your address.
Simple log searches on any list run on the listserv (TM) software are very easy, always assuming that the list is archived in the first place. You can get fancy with them -- and, if you want to explore the possibilities, the listserv will send you complete instructions if you send it the command INFO DATABASE.
The search request should, of course, be sent to the listserv also, NOT to the list. The listserv should answer promptly and politely, even if it doesn't answer your query as expected. We cannot guarantee the same of the list. Besides, do you really want everyone to know what you're searching for?
This is the template I keep permanently on file:
// Database Search DD=Rules //Rules DD * Search [terms] in [LISTNAME] since [month#]/[yr#] [e.g. 1/91; optional] Index /*All those / and * marks are part of the search -- do not omit them.
Fill in the terms and the listname -- those are the only two items you must supply, otherwise the listserv doesn't know what to search for, or in which archives to search. You can delete "since ..." altogether.
Listserv will assume truncation unless otherwise instructed -- if your term is "witch", you will also retrieve "witches" and "witchcraft".
An example:
// Database Search DD=Rules //Rules DD * Search boguet examen in arcana Index /*The result will be a list of any message that has both the terms "boguet" and "examen" in it.
Replace Index with Print if you're sure you want it all and you're not going to get too many items.
Otherwise, use Index and then replace it with Print [fill in the message numbers from the index] when you've scanned the results of the search (a list of subject headings from the messages): e.g. PRINT 00106 00109 00266-00270
Again, remember to send the search to the listserv of the relevant list.
There are fancier tricks, but that one should suffice quite well.
Again, if you want more information -- exact phrase searching, specific
dates, boolean operators, case sensitivity, and the like -- get the
full instructions from listserv with an INFO DATABASE
command.
Bonus hint:
If you've been on no-mail and want to retrieve all the messages you've missed, use the wildcard * (which means "everything and anything") and a time span:
// Database Search DD=Rules //Rules DD * Search * in arcana from 01-sep-95 to 20-sep-95 Index /*
To set yourself to digest, send mail to
listserv@brownvm.brown.edu (not to the list) with
this command:
set arcana digest
Don't bother to sign the message, you are talking to a machine.
Should you decide you would prefer to return to the regular mail
format, send mail to: listserv@brownvm.brown.edu (not the
list) with this command:
set arcana mail
Sometimes, when messages to your site are "bouncing" back to us, the listowner on duty will set you to digest. When this is done, we will receive only one error message per day from your site, rather than every single message that was sent. Just imagine yourself in our position: four or five list members (at minimum) start generating "bounces" per day. If you were receiving 100 error messages a day, wouldn't you want to receive 4 or 5 instead?
If you suddenly find yourself receiving ARCANA in digest form rather than regular mail, you'll know there was a problem at your site. To set yourself back to mail, follow the procedure shown above.
The listowners are not in charge of the compilation or mailing of the digest. This is done by the listserv software. Digests are not archived as such after they are sent out. Requests for us to send old digests to list members who have lost them thus cannot be honored.
However, there is a way to retrieve a day's worth of postings. You
can do a database search. To do this, send a message to
listserv@brownvm.brown.edu (not the list) with similar
text to this:
// Database Search DD=Rules //Rules DD * Search *.* in ARCANA from 00 mon yr to 01 mon yr Print all /*This will get you (if you remember to substitute say, 15 apr 95 to 16 apr 95 for 00 mon yr and 01 mon yr) the entire day's postings.
The same can be done for postings while you were on nomail, etc.
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